When I first started thinking about starting to play paintball back in 1997 or so a basic Spyder or Tippmann Pro-lite cost around $200. For just the gun. No tank, no mask, no hopper (on the spyder).

That would have pretty much used up my entire budget, for a gun I couldn't actually handle before buying since no one local had them. For half of that I could get a Stingray, and have money left over for a good mask, and a hopper, CO2 tank, some camo, a squeegee, and paint.

If BE wasn't around back then I never would have started to play.

Amen.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MrCool

I don't.

Then don't go in the BE forum?

Quote:

Originally Posted by Pyrate Jim

Why do I like BE?

That's easy~25" barrels!

I lol'd.

Everyone bashes BE cause they're not high-end caliber...but how do they know this? Because they've owned one; its usually what got them into the sport.

Back in the day, it was either BE, Tippmann, or Spyder. It seems like it still is for outlaw games.

I like them because it reminds me of a time when paintball was less about ROF and cases of FPO paint and more about friends and woods.

There's really very little to like about the markers themselves, and I've owned a great many of them. Talons, Tiger Sharks (my favorite), Stingrays, Raptors, VL Eradicator, VL Prodigy (still own, actually works awesome). But very few people will "honestly" defend the marker quality. I guess the point is, they are to "get you started"...not to lead you to a professional championship.

It can be best summed up in the terms of your first car. It was cheap, a pile of junk, broke all the time, rusty, and the rear view mirror kept falling off...but you'll never forget it and it will always have a special place in your heart. If you don't have a first car...substitute first girlfriend. If you don't have either....you're in bad shape or you are too young to know what I'm even talking about.

I like them because it reminds me of a time when paintball was less about ROF and cases of FPO paint and more about friends and woods.

There's really very little to like about the markers themselves, and I've owned a great many of them. Talons, Tiger Sharks (my favorite), Stingrays, Raptors, VL Eradicator, VL Prodigy (still own, actually works awesome). But very few people will "honestly" defend the marker quality. I guess the point is, they are to "get you started"...not to lead you to a professional championship.

It can be best summed up in the terms of your first car. It was cheap, a pile of junk, broke all the time, rusty, and the rear view mirror kept falling off...but you'll never forget it and it will always have a special place in your heart. If you don't have a first car...substitute first girlfriend. If you don't have either....you're in bad shape or you are too young to know what I'm even talking about.

i am definately not a big fan! (never even owned one, wanted to get a raptor for my first marker but ended up getting a spyder tl) however they did bring paintball more into the mainstream. but when i see a stingray or raptor it really brings me back to my first game with a group of friends on their property. I know better then to look down on a B.E. cause they will get the job done.

Oh and Maj Tom, love the oldies. wish i could see more of those out on the fields nowadays!!!!!!!

I think you guys are glossing over some reasons why people don't like BE. First, the paintballs. BE Paintballs were crap and stank of dead fish and gave paintball in general a bad name. The masks were awful. I still have a couple of Z-leader masks that I wouldn't give to my dog for protection. Finally, the Raptor. I remember poring over internet sites to try to pick my first marker. The lies told about the Raptor almost led me to buy one, but I ended up with a Spyder instead. I thought I was going with the cheaper option, but it turned out to be the better option too.

That being said, everybody who has been excited about paintball has spent some time in the Wal-Mart paintball aisle and thus Brass Eagle has carved out a base of support over the years. The next time I see a Tiger Shark I might buy it. Go BE

And oh God did the paint stink! But I never had issues shooting them. They always flew well and had decent color. They were thick shelled, but nowhere near as bad as others (i.e. Monster Ball). They were great for broke young teen backyard paintball.

I have fond memories of BE because they've just always been around. My first gun was a Blade starter kit. Awesome package considering all my friends used the equivalent and Lord knows the guns would never shoot higher than 200. Lol. Next, I picked up an old style Stingray for cheap and had the first semi on the block. Got it for next to nothing at a yard sale with lawn mowing money. Shot great, and still does; as I still own it. And sure, I eventually moved on to a Spyder, added a Sprint frame when those were new, and eventually worked up to Mags, a couple Cockers, and some (now older) electros. But BE supplied my friends and I with a million good times. None of our parents would chip in. If we wanted it, we worked for it. BE allowed us to play, and play we did. Every last penny went into paintball (that's almost still true today, lol).

__________________The Inflicted (MCB) - "Anyone find it amusing how as spool valve guns have progressed they've just gotten closer and closer to the Automag? "Christ†KrewJoshua 24:15
"But if you don't want to serve the Lord, you must choose for yourselves today whom you will serve... As for me and my family, we will serve the Lord."